No ordinary death

Andries Tatane’s death and the death of Jesus of Nazareth bear some remarkable similarities and differences.

Both men were 33 years old, guilty of no crime, yet treated with contempt, beaten, and killed by the authorities of the day. Both men’s death was terrible and tragic. Both men’s death also achieved results for their people.

Jesus’ death, however, was voluntary. Andries’ death was involuntary. Andries Tatane did not wake up planning and knowing he would die. On the other hand, from the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus said that he must die and give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus death was also vicarious. Jesus unambiguously said that he must die for others. He said that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus suffered, was abandoned, and died to take upon himself the full wrath of God for the sin of God’s people. Jesus died not for his own sin, but that of others.

Jesus death was also infinitely valuable. Andries Tatane’s death may have some short term service delivery benefits for his community. Jesus’ death however has infinite benefits for people of every generation, every nation, every culture and every age. Through trust in Jesus as Lord and God your eternal salvation is secured, you are adopted in God’s very own family, and your sins are completely, utterly forgiven.

The violence of Andries Tatane’s death has rightly angered the people of South Africa. Let us remember another violent death. And be angered at our sin. And then be driven to the cross, where God’s anger was poured out on Jesus so that we may experience his love.

How not to commit adultery

The book of Proverbs gives us some really practical advice on how to keep our marriage beds (and future marriage beds) pure.

1. Remember that God is all-seeing and all-knowing
Whatever you were doing a hour ago, God saw and heard and knew. Proverbs 5:21 says, in the context of temptation to adultery, “For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths". God is like Norton’s Internet Protector on steroids and that’s a good thing! Its good to know that God know all we say and do and think.  God sees where we go on the internet and what pics we download on our phone. God listens to our phone calls. God reads our SMSes and Facebook statuses.

2. Strong marriages (and future marriages) need strong friends
In Proverbs 5:1-2 a older Christian is instructing and counselling and sharing with a younger man. He says, “My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.”
Whether we are dating or married we need strong friends that will hold us accountable and encourage us to godly living. Guys: You need godly guy friends who are not impressed with you! Ladies: You need godly girlfriends who will encourage and support you. The best way to get these kinds of friends is to start being this kind of friend to someone else.

3. Consider the consequences
Proverbs 5v3-6 says, “ the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not."
The love of another woman might seem attractive at first and an affair might be very appealing. The other person may seem more understanding, gentler and more successful. But know that affairs always end in hurt, pain, pregnancy, STD’s and divorce.
The grass may seem greener on the other side, but the godly husband makes his present marriage better. Dating has the same temptation: having sex may seem so appealing – like sweet honey (v3), but it ends in enslavement to lust, a seared conscience, public shame, bitterness, break up, anger and guilt.

We have an enemy named Satan and his purpose is to destroy you, your marriage and your children. He will wait 40 years to find you weakness if necessary. Never drop your guard, never think you are beyond temptation, always guard your marriage, always consider the consequences. Adultery is can be alluring, but in end it fatal.

4. Not even a hint
God commands us not to have even a hint of sexual immorality or sin in our lives (Ephesians 5v3). Sin is like cyanide. It’s poisonous, even if you just have a little.

Proverbs 7v6-21 paints a vivid picture of the deceptiveness of sin:
6 At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.
8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
(The foolish young man knows where the seductive woman lives and purposefully walks down her street. He does not stay away as far as he can from temptation. The temptation may be a woman, a man, a website or a casino.)

10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 "I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed with coloured linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deep of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
(Sin sounds so good! The other person seems so perfect! But people don’t know that well may seem perfect for we only see their good side, when they’re dressed to kill and have make up on. Its not reality! )

21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.

It all started walking down the street (v8), not getting rid of every hint of sexually immorality, not dealing with sin and temptation before it grows.

If you are married: Your affections, and intimacy, and admiration is for your wife or husband. If you are dating, it’s for your future wife or husband.

Perseverance of the saints

Can a Christian loose their salvation? The Bible says no.

The last point of Calvinism is: The perseverance of the saints. Perhaps a better summary would be: God’s preservation of the saints or God’s persevering with the saints. (BTW “Saints” is the word the New Testament uses for regular Christians.)

The Westminster Confession of Faith has a great definition of this doctrine. It says, “They whom God has accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.”

Jesus put it this way:
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-30

The Apostle Paul, Jesus' follower and author of a large chunck of the New Testament said:
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

According to the Bible, a Christian can never loose their salvation, fall beyond God’s grace, be un-adopted from God’s family, be un-justified or be un-redeemed. Christians will perseverance to the end. 

This doctrine has been misunderstood by many. The doctrine does not say that Christians will not face any spiritual dangers or never fall into sin. Indeed they will face trials and fall into sin, just like all the “great” believers in the Bible. The doctrine simply says that if they are Christians they will persevere through all these trials and temptations and never loose their right standing before God.

Of course, this doctrine applies only to Christians. It does not apply to those who simply profess Christ, think they can live like they want and have a free ticket to heaven.

Why saving grace must be irresistible

The fourth point of Calvinism is Irresistible Grace.  This doctrine says that when God calls us to faith in Jesus he calls effectively, always succeeding in his purpose to save us.

The Bible distinguished between the general call of God to all sinners to come to Jesus (e.g. Jesus saying “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”) and the specific call or summons God gives to his elect (e.g. Romans 1:6…you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ…)

John Piper writes: Irresistible grace refers to the sovereign work of God to overcome the rebellion of our heart and bring us to faith in Christ so that we can be saved. If our doctrine of total depravity is true, there can be no salvation without the reality of irresistible grace. If we are dead in our sins, totally unable to submit to God, then we will never believe in Christ unless God overcomes our rebellion.

God the Father elects us before the creation of the world. God the Son dies to accomplish our salvation and God the Holy Spirit calls us to himself; we simply respond in repentance and faith, and enjoy all benefits of that salvation.

A great link to C J Mahaney's testimony of God's irresistible grace in his conversion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYVO2-2ndg4

Why I believe in Limited Atonement

Who did Jesus die for? What did Jesus’ death actually achieve?

These two questions point to the heart of the third point of Calvinism, Limited Atonement. Most Christians would say that Jesus died for all the sins of every person in the entire world. Jesus paid the price for each sin of every person and we apply that forgiveness to us personally when we put our faith in Jesus.
Limited Atonement, however, says that Jesus died to actually save those God elected. When Jesus was crucified on the Roman cross he did not simply make salvation a possibility, but rather he actually redeemed God’s elect (“many”, Mark 10:45), propitiated God’s wrath (Romans 3:25), made atonement for God’s people (Hebrews 2:17) and reconciled them to God (2 Corinthians 5:18). The New Testament does not speak of potential possibilities that Jesus’ death may achieve, but rather the definite salvation Jesus did achieve for those God had chosen. Jesus’ death saved and redeemed (past tense) God’s people.

Jesus himself said he would lay down his life for his sheep, not the goats.

Double jeopardy
The opposite of Limited Atonement in the theory of General Ransom (i.e. Jesus paid the price for every person’s sins). But this can logically also not be true. How could a just God punish an unbeliever for his or her sins if Jesus has already received their punishment? You cannot be prosecuted for the same crime (or parking ticket!) twice.

When God the Son died on that Roman cross in the first century AD, he accomplished the eternal salvation of those whom God the Father had unconditionally elected.

To plan or not to plan?

Most of us don’t have a plan. No plan for our life, no plan for our finances or health and no plan for our spiritual growth. Proverbs says that we are acting foolishly. Proverbs tells us that we should plan ahead. Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

We should plan because God has a plan. God has a plan for each of our lives (Psalm 139:16), Jesus was part of God’s plan (Acts 4:26-27) and even our salvation is included in God’s master plan (Ephesians 1:11). God is a planner and we strive to be like him.

The first part our plan should be to follow Jesus, as Proverbs tells us “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”.  Next, as we plan, we should ask ourselves four questions:

1. What does the Bible say about this?
This is a question or righteousness. To make a plan contrary to biblical principles or in disobedience to what the Bible says, would be sin. What does the Bible say about earning money or who to marry. As you begin your plan, chech out biblical principles.

2. What does wisdom say?
This is not a question of right or wrong, but of wisdom and foolishness. Just because a plan may not be sin, does not mean that its wise. It may not be a sin to plan to accept a particular job offer, but it may not be wise.

3. What do other mature Christians say?

Proverbs 15:22 says “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”

4. What do I prefer?

When you’ve answered out all the above questions (and spent time in prayer), the last issue is your preference. If what you are doing is not a sin, if its wise and you have the backing of other Christians, you are free to use the natural preferences and likes God has given you. E.g. you might prefer a Toyota to a Honda after planning that buying a car in this price bracket would be the wisest thing to do to get to work to earn some money to provide for your family.

Do you have a plan? If not: Submit to God, study the bible, speak to others, pray, and use your God-given brain to plan!

Free Will vs. Total Depravity

Can we choose God? Would we ever want to choose God? Do we have free will?

These questions have caused controversy amongst Christians throughout church history. The reformed doctrine of Total Depravity speaks to this.

Total depravity is the teaching that contends that, since the Fall of Man (Genesis 3), every area of a human beings live is fallen and scarred by sin; no area is left untouched. Sin has tainted our wills, our emotions, our minds, and even our physical beings. The result is that, as Romans 3 says, no-one is righteous before God or understands spiritual things. We naturally seek religion or seek to run our own lives or seek gods of our own making that approve of our sinful lifestyles.

Do we have free will? Martin Luther would say no. Luther would ask you, “Does a lion have free will?” You might answer that he does: the lion could choose to hunt a warthog, or an antelope, or not to hunt at all. But take that hungry lion and put a pile of meat to his one side and a pile of vegetables to the other. Which food will the lion eat? Does the lion have free will to choose either pile? The lion, you see, does not have free will. His will is in bondage to his nature. His will is in bondage to his pre-programmed disposition. You may hypothetically argue that the lion could choose the veg, but in reality he never will. Thus, Luther wrote his book: The bondage of the will.

Human beings since Adam have a prior disposition towards sin, and evil and a prior biased away from God. Our wills are not free. Our wills are in bondage to sin and our fallen state. Romans 3 also says that no-one seeks God. The truth of this doctrine should not lead to pessimistic fatalism, but rather (as God intends) should lead to the sinner flinging him or herself onto the grace of God ultimately demonstrated at the cross; or in the words of the old hymn writer, “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling”.